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"Rights Over My Birth" resource

September 27, 2018

At this year’s Decolonize Birth conference organized by Ancient Song Doula Services (Sept. 22-23, 2018), NAPW distributed this “Rights Over Your Birth” resource, the idea for which came from two Colorado-based birth workers, doula China Tolliver and midwife Demetra Seriki.

This resource identifies inherent rights you have when you are pregnant and giving birth. While you have these rights because you are a human being and because they are grounded in numerous U.S. laws, we know that these rights are often violated and that addressing these violations and getting redress can be challenging or out of reach for many. NAPW is committed to the work to ensure that these rights are fully recognized and protected.

For more information about how this might apply to your situation, check out this “Know Your Rights” resource from Birth Rights Bar Association.

To learn more about filing a complaint, consider reviewing this resource from International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) and this resource from Improving Birth for additional information and guidance around this process. You can also visit this link to contact your state medical board.

For additional links and reading on rights during pregnancy and possible action steps after experiencing a violation, review this “Recommended reading related to violations of human and civil rights during your pregnancy and birth” resource.

Click here to download a PDF of the “Rights Over Your Birth” resource.

To learn more about and to support China Tolliver and Demetra Seriki's work, click here.